The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-09-22
A RICH REDSKIN.
An Indian Who is Building a
Railroad Out West.
The Wonderful Career of An
Inventive Aboriginal.

A recent letter from Newton. Mo-, to
the Kansas City Journal says: Had any
one predicted quarter of century ago
that an American Indian would build a
railroad he would have been considered
a fit object for a lunatic asylum. But
to-day the people of Newton County,
Mo-, a county adjoining the Indian Ter
ritory have witnessed scene such as
man never before beheld. Matthias
splitlog, half Cayuga and half Wyan-
dotte Indian, born in an Indian village
in Canada, today at Neosho drove the
first spike for the Kansas City, Fort
Smith and Southern Railway. This d-
vision Of the Kansas City, Fort Smith
and Southern railway was chartered the
9Th of last March under the laws OF the
State of Missouri, with capital of
SO, 900, 900, and now there are about 35
miles graded and ready for the iron.
Mr. Splitlog has furnished the "sin-
ews Of war" out Of his own ample for
tune, and is backed by heavy capitalists
to complete the road, and before the 1st
of next January he will have the cars
running from Joplin, in Jasper County,
to the town OF Splitlog, in Mcdonald
County, distance of about thirty-fvc
miles, and Matthias Splitlog, the mil
lionaire Indian, who is probably the rich
est man of his race, will henceforth be
known all over the country as the only
Indian railroad man (at least the firsD in
the United States or in the whole world.
The occasion of driving the first spike
on the main line of this new road was
matter of more than ordinary interest to
the people of Neosho At 8.15 there
were about one thousand people assem-
bled at the point where the main line
crosses the Frisco track. After music
by the Indian band from the Territory,
and selections by the Neosho band, Mr..
Charles W. Smith, Auditor of the con-
struction company, held the spike in po-
sition, and in four bold strokes Mr..
Splitlog drove the spike home into a
carefully selected whiteoak tie. Cheer
after cheer was given for the road,
Matthias Splitloy, Neosho and the enter
prise, after which many came to the
track to look at the spike. Mr.. Split
log welded the sledgc with familiarity
and precision which indicated that he
had used his slcdgc with good effect
when he built his steamboat on the De-
| troit river.
Mr.. Splitlog was born in the year
1918, and while a boy was apprenticed
to a carpenter and millwright, and, al
though his wages were only 81 per
month, young Splitlog thought he was
| getting rich. He imbibed love for
machinery and inventions which has
made his life useful and eventlul one.
In the year 1912 young Spltog joined
the Wyandottcs, who were the last OF
the Indian tribes then in Ohio. In 1S4a
Splitlog came west with some of the
tribe, and found, after his arrival Il,
Westport landing (now Kansas City,
that he only had so cents in his pocket.
He induced an old Indian to go his Sc.
curity for the price of an axe. With
this axe he cut cordwood for the steam.
boats at 25 cents per cord, and, after
paying for the axe, which cost So, he
soon saved enough to buy pony.
About the year 1864 he married Eizs
Barnett, grandnicco of Harry Jacques,
the old Indian who went his security fol
the price of the axe. Her father wa:
head chief Of the Wyandottcs when ht
| died in 1888. Her mother was part
Wyandottc and part Seneca Indian
They have family of five children
four sons and one daughter. Spltlo.
was never idle, and in most OF his under
|
day he built mill near Wyandottc
which was first run by horsepower ant
afterwards by steam. Spitlog's mil
was success and was long an old land
mark near Wyandottc. lie began t.
speculate in real estate, and, although
he San neither read nor write, he ha
been one of the most successful spccula
tors in the neighborhood of Kansas City
and is to-day worth over 1000, 900
Many interesting incidents could b.
written in connection with his uscfu
life.
A Chinese Anmsthetic.
A curious anpsthctic used by the Chin